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Lil Frankie's in the East Village / Bowery

Frivolous, Fun Fare in the East Village

August 27, 2017 / East Village Neighborhood / East Village Restaurants / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

The school year was about to begin as I made my way down to the Bowery to meet an out-of-town guest and family members for a farewell dinner. It was a nice end-of-summer evening as I came above ground in SoHo, and I had a little time so I browsed around.

I made my way up to Lil Frankie's at 19 First Avenue, only a couple doors north of Houston Street. Lil Frankies was bustling. It's a cash only restaurant that serves pizza and assorted Italian fare at affordable prices - meaning most of the appetizers and entrees run between $10 - $20 apiece.

The photo at right shows the store front of Lil Frankies on First Avenue north of Houston in the Bowery / East Village.

Thankfully we had a reservation so we didn't have to wait. The restaurant is divided into two sections, one in the open area surrounding the bar and opening out onto the street, and the other in the back room which is made not quite so claustrophobic by the use of mirrors.

We started with a plate of fried calamari which was fresh and tender. This was followed by main entrees including margherita pizza, wood roasted chicken and a pappardelle with veal ragout. I had ordered the pappardelle which was served while still hot, with the pasta cooked al dente, providing a dense, flavorful texture to accommodate the tomato based ragout sauce which surrounded the tender bits of veal.

I was told that the fresh tomatoes and authentic mozzarella, combined with the flavorful dough used in creating the margherita pizza made its out-of-town recipient one happy camper. And that the roasted chicken was moist, tender and deliciously flavored with lemon, capers and sage.

The ambiance was festive, the service was excellent, and it was a bit loud as Lil Frankie's attracts a youthful audience. And since the youthful members of our party were about to return to school, Lil Frankie's turned out to be just the right pick.

Lil Frankies is a fun, casual place to get together with family and friends.

French Restaurants West Village: La Ripaille

One can Enjoy a bit of the Left Bank on Abingdon Square

In November I had an opportunity to visit La Ripaille French restaurant off Abingdon Square in the West Village. It's a quaint place, with plenty of charm that is owned by a Frenchman who reminded me a little of Gerard Depardieu in the movie entitled Addicted to Love. Full of life and personality and he knows quite a bit about the food he serves and loves.

It was a fairly quiet Wednesday night, on the eve of Thanksgiving, as I made my way through the quiet, narrow West Village streets. I stopped for a moment at Abingdon Square to take in the karmaic location, before entering the restaurant and sitting down with my friends.

They had arrived just before me and were seated at a table in the middle of the restaurant.

We'll have a full restaurant review of La Ripaille a bit later this week.

Mother's Day Restaurants In Manhattan

Restaurants For Brunch & Dinner on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown, East Village

Mother's Day isn't that far away [May 14th, 2017]. It's a good time to let your loved one know you care. Flowers, gifts and brunch or dinner are always welcome, as is any thoughtful gesture that provides some measure showing your appreciation of your mother or the mother of your children. After all, without mothers, we would all cease to be.

It's best to book a restaurant reservation for Mother's Day brunch, as on Mother's Day in Manhattan, many restaurants are full. So if you're thinking about eating out at a restaurant this Mother's Day on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown or East Village; it's best to do your research early, and call ahead to book Mother's Day restaurant reservations.

Mother's Day History - Restaurants In Manhattan

The origins of Mother's Day in the United States began with the efforts by Anna Jarvis in honor of her own mother. According to Wikipedia, Anna began the campaign in 1905 - the year her mother died - and in 1910 West Virginia was the first state to adopt it as a holiday. In 1914 Woodrow Wilson made the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers.

Click this link to view a brief guide of Mother's Day restaurants in Manhattan where you will find links to Manhattan restaurants we've visited in the past or have reviewed. The restaurants we've reviewed include a mix of high, medium and budget priced restaurants that are spread throughout the borough and offer a large variety of ethnic cuisines. Enjoy.

Irish Pubs In Manhattan

Irish Restaurants On St. Patrick's Day In NYC, UES, UWS, Midtown & Village

St. Patrick’s Day is upon us once again and it’s time for one and all, regardless of genetic history, to don their green clothing and head out to the Irish bars for a pint of ale or to the Irish restaurants for some down home Irish fare … or something like that.

This report is about some of the Manhattan Irish bars and restaurants that have survived the test of time, and likely a might bit … more. The Irish pubs include Irish bars and restaurants from the Upper East Side [UES], the Upper West Side [UWS], Midtown Manhattan as well as the East Village, as McSorley's remains not just a pub, but a good piece of history.

Romantic Places For Valentines Dinner in Manhattan on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown, East Village, West Village, SoHo, Tribeca & the Lower East Side

Valentine's Day is about a week away. It's a good time to let your loved one know you care. Flowers, gifts and dinner are always welcome treats, and / or some thoughtful gesture that shows that the lady [or man] you're with still means a lot to you.

It's generally hard to make restaurant reservations on short notice at a romantic Manhattan restaurant on Valentine's Day, and sometimes it's difficult to make them for the weekend preceding Valentine's Day. So if you're thinking about doing something this Valentine's Day for dinner on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown or East Village; it's best to do your research early, and call a week or at least a few days ahead to make the reservations.

Valentine's Day History - Romantic Restaurants In Manhattan

The origins of Valentine's Day are not well documented. It's believed to have been named after Saint Valentine who was apparently a Catholic martyr who died over 1500 years ago. Today the holiday is not associated with religion so much as flowers, candies, cards and romantic dinners. And the holiday spokesperson is now Cupid, a Roman god of desire, and quite a mischief maker.

Click this link to view a brief guide of Valentine's Day restaurants in Manhattan where you will find links to Manhattan restaurants we've visited in the past or have reviewed. The restaurants we've reviewed include a mix of high, medium and budget priced restaurants that are spread throughout the borough and offer a large variety of ethnic cuisines. Enjoy.

Manhattan Halloween Parties - Manhattan NYC

With only six days to go before Halloween, we decided to do a round up of some of the Halloween parties planned in Manhattan.

The weather on Friday and Saturday evenings preceding Halloween this year is expected to be about ten degrees warmer than usual - meaning in the 60's during the day and in the 50's at nigh in Manhattan. No rain is expected on either of the two weekend nights.

* The Village Halloween Parade starts at 7 pm at Spring Street and 6th Avenue and marches north to 16th Street on Tuesday, October 31st. It lasts in the neighborhood of three to four hours with the official end time at 10.30 pm. We've heard that there are over 30 musical groups and an innumerable showing of creative costumes.

The following is a short list of Manhattan Halloween parties at local bars, restaurants and arts and public venues will be added over time. In most cases we suggest that you call ahead and rsvp a spot to be sure you get in.

New Years Parties In Manhattan

New Years Parties in Manhattan, UES, Upper East Side, Midtown, West & East Village & UWS

We've taken an look into some of the restaurants hosting New Years parties in the Manhattan NYC. The restaurants in Manhattan offer a wide variety of party venues.

Picking the restaurant you're going to party at in Manhattan is something you should give thought to - not just for budgetary reasons, but depending on the time of you arrive and your plans for the evening.

Manhattan NYC Related Links

Archives - TBD

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